Ashton Eaton Wins Gold Medal in Olympic Decathlon

USMagazine, Thursday, August 9, 2012, 4:30pm (PDT)

Disclaimer: The 2012 London Olympic events take place five hours ahead of US EST, but Us Weekly is reporting the results as they happen and before they air on NBC during primetime hours.

Ashton Eaton has now earned the right to call himself "The World's Greatest Athlete."

PHOTOS: Celebs at the Olympics

The 24-year-old athlete won the gold medal in the Olympic Decathlon Thursday in London with 8,869 points. Eaton beat his U.S. teammate Trey Hardee, who took home the silver medal with 8,671 points. Leonel Suarez of Cuba took the bronze with 8,523.

PHOTOS: Olympians' darkest secrets

"So Ashton doesn't have to sound selfish or self-centered, Ashton is the best athlete to ever walk the planet – hands down," Hardee told The Associated Press. "The title bestowed upon the Olympic champion in the decathlon is 'world's greatest athlete.' Ashton is the world-record holder in that event. The same [reason] Usain Bolt can be the fastest man on the planet –- because that's the title that's bestowed upon those event winners."

PHOTOS: LOL! Stars choose their Olympic sport

At the U.S. trials in June, Eaton set the decathlon world record. Thursday's victory was Eaton's first Olympic medal.

Want more Olympics? Meet Team USA's families, go inside their homes (and gyms!), and more! Check out Us Weekly's Olympic collectors edition, "American Heroes," on newsstands now. Order at bn.com/usolympics.

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Ashton Eaton Wins Gold Medal in Olympic Decathlon